Pops series off to promising start

Byron Stripling brought the works of Louis Armstrong to life Saturday as part of the Las Vegas Philharmonic's new pops series.

Under the direction of conductor David Itkin, the orchestra proved that it could emulate the big band sound with the best of them, playing easy, smooth back-up to Stripling in 10 numbers. Granted, sometimes the string players were left to nod or tap their toes, but the arrangements of everything from "Ain't Misbehavin'" to "Alexander's Ragtime Band" conscientiously tried to involve the whole orchestra in most of the evening.

Stripling, the artistic director of the Columbus (Ohio) Jazz Orchestra, has been playing Armstrong's works for more than 20 years.

In an always-buttoned dark suit and tie, Stripling demonstrated his ability from the beginning, keeping and holding notes, matter-of-factly playing complex passages, only stopping to breathe and smile. He has a rich singing voice, with the right amount of wistfulness for "Do You Know What It Means to Miss New Orleans?" and, later, sass on "Sweet Georgia Brown." He blended scat with more typical wording several times, just adding a bit more jazz -- literally and figuratively -- to the mix.

At the conclusion of the evening, a lengthy standing ovation brought Stripling and Itkin back to the stage several times. Stripling finally responded with a simple a cappella vocal of the jazz standard "Because of You," ignoring his microphone yet still filling the hall with his solid voice.

This was an ostentatious premiere of pops concerts that suggested more such evenings would be welcome.